Verbena plant named ‘USBENA6201’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘USBENA6201’, characterized by its outwardly to low spreading and relatively compact plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliage; and tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

Botanical designation: Verbena hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USBENA6201’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘USBENA6201’.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hikone, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new disease-resistant and high temperature-tolerant Verbena cultivars with semi-upright plant habit and attractive flower coloration.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on Apr. 8, 2001 in Hikone, Shiga, Japan of a proprietary seedling selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number VJL50-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary seedling selection of Verbena hybrida identified as code number VJL53-3, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Verbena was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. on Jun. 6, 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new Verbena by terminal cuttings in a controlled environment in Bonsall, Calif. since Jun. 7, 2002 has shown that the unique features of this new Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar USBENA6201 has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USBENA6201’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USBENA6201’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Verbena:

-   -   1. Outwardly to low spreading and relatively compact plant         habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Red purple-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the         foliage.     -   6. Tolerant to Powdery Mildew.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena are more outwardly spreading than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena are more vigorous than plants of         the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena and the female parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection         have pink-colored flowers.     -   4. Plants of the new Verbena are tolerant to Powdery Mildew         whereas plants of the female parent selection are susceptible to         Powdery Mildew.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Verbena differ from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena flower earlier than plants of the         male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have reddish pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the Verbena cultivar Sunvp-su, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,311. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the cultivar Sunvp-su in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more upright than and not as         creeping as plants of the cultivar Sunvp-su.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena were more compact than plants of         the cultivar Sunvp-su.     -   3. Plants of the new Verbena were more freely and earlier         flowering than plants of the cultivar Sunvp-su.     -   4. Plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar Sunvp-su differed         in flower color as plants of the cultivar Sunvp-su had         red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the Verbena cultivar Scarlena, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,578. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Verbena differed from plants of the cultivar Scarlena in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena and the cultivar Scarlena differed         in flower color as plants of the cultivar Scarlena had scarlet         red-colored flowers.     -   2. Plants of the new Verbena were tolerant to Powdery Mildew         whereas plants of the cultivar Scarlena were susceptible to         Powdery Mildew.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Verbena, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Verbena.

The photograph at the bottom the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘USBENA6201’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical inflorescence of ‘USBENA6201’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif., under commercial practice during the summer in an outdoor nursery with day temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures ranging from 13° C. to 21° C. Plants were grown with the one rooted cutting per 15-cm container for about seven weeks. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida cultivar USBENA6201. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Verbena hybrida identified as code number VJL50-2, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary seedling selection of             Verbena hybrida identified as code number VJL53-3, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About one week at 18° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About three weeks at             18° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Initially upright, then low to outwardly             spreading and mounding; relatively compact growth habit.             Freely branching habit with about ten primary lateral             branches per plant each with numerous secondary branches;             pinching enhances lateral branch development; dense and             bushy plant habit. Vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 57 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 32 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.5 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.7 cm to 3 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—146B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 3 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.9 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly deltoid.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Acute to truncate.         -   Margin.—Crenate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Coarse, rough; pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: 137A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 137C. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 147A; venation, 147B. Fully expanded foliage, lower             surface: 137B; venation, 147C.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 148C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Salverform flowers arranged in             hemispherical terminal racemes; flowers face upward or             outward. Freely flowering habit with about 20 flowers per             inflorescence.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously from             April through October in Southern California.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant.             Flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 4.5 cm to 5 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,             five-parted. Diameter: About 1.7 cm. Depth (height): About             2.6 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Shape: Elongate, oblong. Color: 67B.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five fused petals.             Petal lobe length: About 7 mm. Petal lobe width: About 8 mm.             Petal lobe shape: Roughly cordate. Petal lobe apex:             Emarginate to cordate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal,             when opening, upper surface: 61B. Petal, when opening, lower             surface: 63A. Petal, fully opened, upper surface: 63A; color             becoming closer to 61B with development. Petal, fully             opened, lower surface: 63C to 63D. Throat: 157A. Tube: 145C             to 145D.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One single narrow calyx tube per flower             with five fused sepals. Sepal length: About 1.6 cm. Sepal             width: About 1 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly lanceolate. Sepal             apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous. Sepal texture, lower surface:             Pubescent. Sepal color, upper surface: 143B. Sepal color,             lower surface: 143A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5.8 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Strength: Strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Flowers are sessile.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement: Four per             flower, adnate to corolla tube. Filament length: Less than             1 mm. Filament color: 145D. Anther shape: Oval. Anther             length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 145B. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: 1C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.             Pistil length: About 2.2 cm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma             color: 144A. Style length: About 2.1 cm. Style color: 144C             to 144D. Ovary color: 145A. Fruits/seed: Fruit and seed             development have not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 2° C. to about 35° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have been     observed to be tolerant to Powdery Mildew. Plants of the new Verbena     have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other pathogens     common to Verbenas. 

1. A new and distinct Verbena plant named ‘USBENA6201’ as illustrated and described. 